Due to public concern concerning the town’s historic district ordinance, the Standish Town Council Tuesday night passed an emergency moratorium temporarily freezing the ordinance.
The moratorium, which is in effect for the next 180 days, passed 5 to 1, with Councilor Carolyn Biegel opposed.
For the next six months, owners of a property located in the historic district in Standish Village can sell their homes but they can’t renovate, demolish or alter in any way the outside of the structure. Owners can continue to alter the inside of the homes as they see fit.
The original ordinance was created and sent to the voters in November of 2002. The ordinance was designed to protect six buildings in what the ordinance deemed the Standish Historic District.
Under the ordinance, owners of these properties were not allowed to alter their buildings in any way without first presenting their plans to the Historic Preservation Commission, and submitting a $200 application fee.
The ordinance also placed certain restrictions on what property owners could do to their properties. Some residents and property owners found some of these restrictions to be unfair.
“Do not put the person who owns the property at a disadvantage,” said Dave Thomas of Thomas Road. “If the people of this town want to preserve property here, they should be willing to buy it.”
After what Council Chair Terry Christy referred to as “a polarization of the community” over this ordinance, he decided something must be done.
“I don’t like what is going on in this community,” said Christy. I would like to form an ad hoc committee that would come back to the council with recommendations.”
The ad hoc committee as written in the moratorium would consist of council members, historic preservation commission members, historic district property owners, and unbiased members of the public.
The committee would have up to 180 days to review the ordinance and make recommendations on changes. The moratorium would create a freeze on the original ordinance and alterations to any building in the district during the six-month review period – a factor some Standish residents are not happy with.
“You are freezing people’s property,” said Bill Orr of Kerry Farm Road. “You are bullying the town and telling people what they can do with their property.”
During the public hearing Tuesday night, about 40 Standish residents seemed split on whether a moratorium was needed.
“I would support the moratorium,” said Robert Hall of Oak Hill Road. “It would give people a chance to revisit the whole idea. It is a good idea to revisit all the little issues.”
River Road resident Richard Rudolph disagreed.
“I do not think there is a need for a moratorium,” Rudolph said.
Before voting on the moratorium an amendment was made by Councilor Philip Pomerleau.
“I want to make an amendment to the moratorium that would allow any landowner in the historic district to opt out of the district,” said Pomerleau.
Pomerleau believes if the ordinance is re-written to the satisfaction of those wishing to preserve history and those who own historic properties there should be no reason for people not to be a part of the district.
“If we screw it up like we did before, people will not want to be part of it,” Pomerleau said. “If we do a good job people will want to opt in.”
Pomerleau’s amendment was voted on and failed with a vote of 5-1.
Town Clerk Mary Chapman then took a vote on the original moratorium. Only one councilor, Carolyn Biegel, voted no.
“I don’t see how it makes sense to take away from the existing protection,” said Beigel.
Isabelle Higgins, who owns one of the six houses in the historic district, supported the moratorium hoping the original ordinance would be repealed and to start from scratch.
“This action is what we had hoped would take place back in February or March,” said Higgins. “It would have saved a lot of time and money, not to mention sleepless nights.”
River Road resident Richard Rudolph speaks to the Standish Town Council during a public hearing on Tuesday night. The council passed a moratorium on the town’s historic district, which has come under scrutiny in recent months. Send questions/comments to the editors.
